With three victories in four races, including an historic, dream win at this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, Jackie Chan DC Racing x JOTA Sport leads the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) LMP2 standings as the series heads into the second half of the season next month at the 6 Hours of Mexico.
In just half a season, the team has already achieved an incredible number of truly remarkable firsts. In the opening race of the season at the UK’s Silverstone circuit, they became the first-ever Chinese team to win an FIA WEC LMP2 race. From there, the they went on to make motorsport history at Le Mans with the #Mighty38 and the #FortuneCat37 ORECAs finishing first and second in their class, and an unprecedented second and third overall. The unstoppable outfit continued its glittering debut season with yet another LMP2 victory at last month’s 6 Hours of Nürburgring.
With three race wins in four races, the #Mighty38 ORECA and drivers Ho-Pin Tung, Oliver Jarvis and Thomas Laurent lead the LMP2 standings, while the sister #FortuneCat37 ORECA of David Cheng, Tristan Gommendy and Alex Brundle lies fourth in the FIA Endurance Trophy for LMP Teams. While the team is hungry for more success, founding partner and Hollywood superstar Jackie Chan is rightly proud of what has been accomplished in what has been a sensational season so far. “This year, our team is running two cars in the 2017 FIA WEC, and we immediately won the first race of the season – the 6 Hours of Silverstone. The results this year have so far been amazing!
“At Le Mans, Ho-pin Tung was in the lead at one point, and that was a first for an LMP2 car. We also made history as the first Chinese team to win its class at Le Mans! I watched the moment of victory through a video call with co-owner David Cheng. I was so happy and proud! There are several races to go this season, and of course there’s our home race, the 6 Hours of Shanghai. I waved the flag in Shanghai last year, and this year, I’m arranging my schedule to go support them again. I hope everyone can come and watch and cheer for Jackie Chan DC Racing, our Chinese racing team!”
The long summer break has provided Jackie Chan DC Racing x JOTA Sport with the opportunity to scrutinize data in order to maximise performance once racing resumes. The drivers have been training hard to ensure they are at optimal fitness levels, while everyone at Jackie Chan DC Racing x JOTA Sport is building on the massive momentum gained over the first four races of the season and chomping at the bit to get back out on track.
Faultless preparation is particularly critical this season as the competition in the LMP2 category is the strongest in championships history. Racing against formidable opponents Vaillante Rebellion, Signatech Alpine Matmut and G-Driver Racing, Jackie Chan DC Racing x JOTA Sport knows it needs to remain at its best to ultimately clinch the coveted title.
Following the race in Mexico, the series head to the Circuit of the Americas, before traveling east to Asia, home of Jackie Chan DC Racing x JOTA Sport. The 6 Hours of Fuji in Japan will be followed by the team’s homecoming at the 6 Hours of Shanghai, and the welcome opportunity to thank its legions of Chinese fans. The 2017 season concludes in Bahrain.
Preparations for the 6 Hours of Mexico are well underway. The race will be held at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City and, despite coming after the summer break, marks the half way point in the 2017 WEC season. Tactically and psychologically, the race will be key to the direction of the championship, and Jackie Chan DC Racing x JOTA Sport is as focused as ever to ensure the team remains on winning form for the next grueling test of man, machine and team work.
Quotes
#37 David Cheng: “We’ve had an incredible start to the season and we want to continue to use this positive momentum to keep pushing and achieving results in the second half of the season. 24 Hours of Le Mans and The LMP2 title has been our goal from the start and we’ve now achieved one and we are not resting on our laurels to reach the other. There’s some tough competition in the category, but we are determined to keep working hard and to keep working as a team to find success.
“In the second half of the season, we’re fortunate to have the opportunity to race in Asia and, specifically, our race in Shanghai will be incredibly important to us. Jackie Chan and I founded the team specifically to help develop Chinese motorsport and to have the opportunity to race in front of our home fans is truly an honour and to have Jackie’s presence during this event last year was incredible – I can only think this year we will do it even bigger and better. I think I speak for everyone at Jackie Chan DC Racing x JOTA Sport when I say that I can’t wait to get back out on track.”
#38 Ho-Pin Tung: “We are exactly at the half-way mark of the 2017 FIA WEC and we’ve had a dream season so far: 3 wins including the Le Mans 24H out of 4 races. We wrote history at Le Mans being the first Chinese LMP2 winners ever scoring a 1-2 finish for Jackie Chan DC Racing x JOTA Sport and finishing on the overall podium with both cars. But Le Mans was also a very hugely important race and win as it gives double points for the World Endurance Championship. Arguably at Nürburgring we felt even more pressure than at Le Mans as we had to show our best after that incredible Le Mans and we did, in dominant style. We now have a 46-point lead as we begin the second half of the season.
“Even though there’s been the summer break, we haven’t had much time off and everyone at Jackie Chan DC Racing x JOTA Sport is working harder than ever to be well prepared for the second half of the championship. Being at the front with both cars shows the strength of our team and our spirit. This is a true team effort and partnership at its best, in which every individual has the quality and determination to win and succeed. I am pretty sure I speak for everyone when saying we can’t wait for Mexico!”
Sam Hignett, JOTA Sport: “The win at the Nürburgring was a real testament to the team and drivers as it would have been very easy to sit back and relax after the Le Mans result. The single-minded focus and determination of everyone to continue to improve following Le Mans was really impressive and this mentality has continued during the summer break. Whilst everyone will arrive in Mexico slightly more rested than they have been the rest of the season the passion and determination is greater than ever.”
